Author: Stephen K. Brooks

Convenience Stores Premises Liability

7-Eleven, Inc. announced on December 8, 2010 that it was acquiring the 183 Florida sites of ExxonMobil’s retail interests. Most of the stores will be rebranded as 7-Eleven® operations. Many of the stores are in high-traffic locations. As of December 2010, 7-Eleven, Inc. operates and franchises 610 stores in Florida. Many of these 7-Eleven stores…

Bicyclist Dies After Hit-and-Run Accident in Tampa

On May 24, 2013, the The Tampa Bay Times reported that a bicyclist was struck by a hit-and-run driver at the intersection of Tampania Street and Lemon Street in Tampa, Florida. The bicyclist failed to stop at a stop sign. He was hit by a pickup truck which failed to stop and continued after the…

A Quick Explanation of Transvaginal Mesh Cases

What is it? Transvaginal Mesh is a surgical mesh that is used by doctors for the repair of pelvic floor disorders. These disorders include pelvic organ prolapse (POP) which is very common in some women due to age, obesity, or childbirth. These types of disorders are known to cause symptoms such as urinary incontinence, discomfort,…

Wrongful Death Claim Filed in Hillsborough County Civil Court

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Brooke Coats, a 16-year old girl died Feb. 18, 2011, in Brandon, Hillsborough County Florida after a bull she was riding kicked her. She died, that night, of internal injuries. To protect their claim against the two year wrongful death statute of limitations, her family brought suit in Hillsborough…

The Importance of Bicycle Helmet Safety

Our law firm, Brooks Law Group, is soon going to be giving away bicycle helmets to promote safety for children. Helmet safety is an important factor in preventing or minimizing injuries from bicycle falls. Details will be forthcoming. Why Wearing a Bicycle Helmet is Important According to TV Station WTSP (WTSP is a CBS-affiliated television…

Supermarket Slip and Fall Cases

A 2010 Florida law makes it tougher for claimants who fall in a supermarket to recover damages. This change in the law was noted in a Tampa Bay Times article posted June 27, 2010. Before 2010 injured people had to prove only that an out-of-place substance caused the accident. Injured people didn’t have to prove that the…

Our Sympathies to the Victims of the Boston Marathon Tragedy

The victims Four people were killed as a result of the terrible bomb explosions at the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013: Krystle Campbell, Sean A. Collier, Lu Lingz and Martin Richard. Our sympathies go to their families. Many others suffered severe injuries including loss of limbs. Our sympathies go to them and their families…

How to Apply for Social Security Disability in and Near Tampa. Where Do You Go? What Do You Do?

According to the Tampa Bay Times in an article prepared by the Social Security Administration and published on April 24, 2012 there are several time factors Social Security Disability applicants should know. If you are still receiving disability benefits when you reach your full retirement age, your disability benefits will automatically be converted to retirement…

Life Expectancy in Florida Wrongful Death Cases

According to the Orlando Sentinel (a June 15, 2011 article) life expectancy, in Florida, depends on where you live. The state ranks among the nation’s four worst for disparity in life expectancies, with the largest gap occurring between counties in the north and south. Tampa is in the middle of the state on the western…

What Should You Do if You’re in an ATV Accident?

ATV riding is a thrilling way to explore Florida’s rural and remote areas, but these vehicles can also be hazardous for drivers and passengers alike. The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles reports there were 171 ATV crashes where a driver or passenger suffered incapacitating injuries in a recent year. Sadly, 24 accidents…

New Bicycle Route Planned from St. Petersburg to Titusville

According to the St. Petersburg Tribune (April 28, 2013) state lawmakers approved $50 million for the first leg in a 275-mile bike and walking path stretching from St. Petersburg to Titusville. “The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s goal is to bridge seven gaps among more than a dozen regional trails that snake across Central Florida….

Florida Legislature is Considering Making Texting While Driving Illegal

A study by the University of Florida shows that 95% of respondents favor some ban on texting while driving – the Tampa Bay Times reported on March 28, 2013. Drivers who text are taking at least one hand off the wheel. They are also focusing on their texting which means they’re not focusing on the…

Keys to Getting a Proper Medical Diagnosis

The Tampa Bay Times reported on April 24, 2013 that a local female swimmer and lifeguard happily received successful treatment for a swimming injury. The key to her recovery was a correct diagnosis by her doctors at Tampa Bay General including Dr. Karl Ilig, a professor and the director of vascular surgery. The swimmer had…

Elder Claimants in Personal Injury Accidents

According to the Tampa Bay Times (April 12, 2013), an 84-year-old St. Petersburg woman was taken to a hospital Friday morning after her car overturned in an accident: “Helen Bohman was driving east on Fifth Avenue N when her Toyota and a Jeep Cherokee collided, St. Petersburg police spokesman Mike Puetz said. The Jeep was…

Minor Killed in Car Accident. Possible Wrongful Death and Survival Claims

According to the Tampa Bay Times (April 19, 2013), a 16-year-old girl was killed Friday evening in a traffic crash on the bridge over Placido Bayou on 40th Avenue NE in St. Petersburg, Florida. “She was a passenger in a sport utility vehicle that crashed about 6:55 p.m., coming to rest atop a concrete barrier…

What To Do When You Are In an ATV Accident

ATVs, or all-terrain-vehicles, are ridden by children and adults throughout the state of Florida. When an accident happens on an ATV, it can be a challenge for the injured person to determine who was at fault in the accident. ATV accidents can be every bit as serious as a car accident. ATVs can travel at…

Teenage Driving Risks

According to the Tampa Bay Newspapers Weekly (January, 2013), two female teenagers, from Countryside High School in Clearwater, Florida won awards from the Anthony Telesca Foundation for posters they created in a Safe Driving Art Contest sponsored by the Foundation. The Foundation was created after Anthony Joseph Telesca died in a car accident when he was 16 years old….

Determining Who Is At Fault: Volvo Crash Case Study

In this video (Disclaimer: Some of the video comments are adult in nature.), an accident occurs when the driver of a Volvo sedan attempts to pass a group of motorcyclists on the highway. The Volvo driver does this by leaving the highway and entering the right shoulder to try to pass on the inside. While…

What To Do When Insurance Refuses To Cover An Accident That Wasn’t Your Fault

Here at Brooks Law Group, we often get phone calls from distraught car accident victims. They were driving their vehicle, were struck by a negligent motorist, they reported the accident and their injuries to their insurance company, and their claim was denied. The victim of the accident did everything by the book. They operated their…

Slip And Fall Accidents In Convenience Stores

Influx of Convenience Stores Opening Across Florida The Bradenton Herald recently reported an exponential increase of convenience stores popping up throughout Florida, including the Tampa area. Two companies have been the main contributors to the mini-mart proliferation in the sunshine state: Wawa and RaceTrac. The developers of these stores are attracted to Florida because of…

Truck Accident on Selmon Expressway Caused by Negligence

Earlier this month, a flatbed truck accident on Selmon Expressway created a backlog of traffic after a truck driver collided with a barrier. The Tampa Tribune reported that “At 8:30 a.m., as the truck came to rest with its right-side wheels perched atop the barrier at the Kennedy Boulevard exit, cars behind it began to back up….

Ten Common Causes of Deadly Car Accidents

Here at Brooks Law Group, we are dedicated to representing family members who have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident. We handle wrongful death claims, which compensate the family of a deceased car accident victim for their loss. While safe and conscientious driving can help prevent accidents, sometimes a crash is the…

Seven Ways to Prevent a Motorcycle Accident

Last week, a fatal motorcycle accident occurred in New Tampa. According to a news report in Friday evening’s online edition of the Tampa Bay Times, a driver “stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of Commerce Palms and Compton Drive but did not see approaching. Her 2008 Pontiac G6 struck the motorcycle and was…

Court Overturns Ruling to Allow Slip and Fall Case Against Walmart

A recent court case allowed a plaintiff to pursue a claim against Walmart for the injuries she suffered in a slip and fall accident at a Walmart store. The plaintiff was injured when she slipped on water that had been spilled at the checkout counter of the store. Walmart’s attorneys argued that an employee had…

Tampa Truck Accident Shuts Down I-75

An accident involving a semi-truck and a dump truck closed down I-75 southbound near the intersection with State Road 56 last Thursday. Traffic was snarled for miles as first responders fought to contain a fire that was caused by leaking fuel from the accident. Asphalt at the site of the accident had to be removed…